This collection relates to the writing and research of Honoré Jaxon: Prairie Visionary. This book completes Donald Smith’s “Prairie Imposters” popular history trilogy concerning three prominent figures who all pretended an Aboriginal ancestry they did not, in fact, possess – Honoré Jaxon, Grey Owl, and Long Lance. The material includes photocopies of material from various sources including other archives. Unless indicated titles were supplied by author/donor.
William Henry Jackson, also known as Honoré Joseph Jaxon, Louis Riel’s secretary in
1884/85 immediately before the North-West Rebellion, labour leader (b in Toronto 13
May 1861; d in New York C, NY 10 Jan 1952). After his family moved from Ontario to Prince Albert, Sask, Will Jackson joined them, abandoning his Classics course at the University of Toronto. Having completed 3 years there, he was one of the best-educated men in the area. He became secretary of the local farmers' union, and in this capacity he met Riel in the summer of 1884. Sympathetic to the Métis cause, he went to live at Batoche, Sask, to serve as Riel's secretary, converted to Roman Catholicism and later accepted Riel's new religion. After the failure of the rebellion, or “resistance,” Jackson was tried and committed to the lunatic asylum at Fort Garry, Man. Escaping 2 months later, he walked to the American border and eventually settled in Chicago, Ill. As Honoré Joseph Jaxon he worked as a union organizer for over 2 decades. "Riel's Secretary" moved to New York after WWI, where he died (Canadian Encyclopedia Online).

This fonds contains the correspondence, reports, articles, addresses, speeches, minutes, clippings and publications pertaining to the various activities John Evans was engaged in between 1919 and 1940. The material has been arranged alphabetically according to certain topics or subject matter. However, in sorting such material, often an item would make reference to more than one issue. In this case material was grouped under the main, or predominant subject. No cross referencing has been made. Subjects are further subdivided into correspondence, articles, addresses, reports, etc.

: The majority of this fonds is material related to the research for Waiser’s published works. It contains material relating to Waiser’s academic and writing career including instructional material; assessments and referential material; and research and publication activities. The 2023 accrual contains material relating to the significant public recognition of Waiser’s body of work, including his investiture into the Order of Canada; his Governor-General’s Award for Non-Fiction; the Governor-General’s History Award for Popular Media; the Saskatchewan Book Award for Non-Fiction; the Cheryl and Henry Kloppenburg Award for Literary Excellence; the JB Tyrrell Medal (Royal Society); and the Clio Prize Lifetime Achievement Award (Canadian Historical Association), among others. Much of the work included here was created following Waiser’s retirement from the University of Saskatchewan; and includes material relating to his interest in making history accessible to a wide audience.